While many of Irish names are quite familiar to most, their original Gaelic forms are often forgotten and mysterious. The original Gaelic form of the name MacGennis is Mag Aonghusa or Mag Aonghuis, which mean "son of Angus."

MacGennis Early Origins

The surname MacGennis was first found in County Down (Irish:An Dún) part of the Province of Ulster, in Northern Ireland, formerly known as county St Mirren, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

MacGennis Spelling Variations

MacGennis Spelling Variations

Many different spelling variations of the surname MacGennis were found in the archives researched. These included Scribes and church officials generally spelled a name as it sounded; as a result, a person's name could be spelt innumerable ways in his lifetime. Genis, Guinness, Magennis, Guinnessy, McGuinness and many more.

MacGennis Early History

MacGennis Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacGennis research. Another 279 words (20 lines of text) covering the years 1539, 1543, 1584, 1640, 1703, 1797, 1798, 1868 and 1759 are included under the topic Early MacGennis History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

MacGennis Early Notables (pre 1700)

MacGennis Early Notables (pre 1700)

Prominent amongst the family at this time was Hugo Magennis (d. 1640) who was the Franciscan Bishop of Down and Connor; the second Viscount Iveagh, Brian Magennis who was killed in action in 1703; Richard and Richard the...

Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early MacGennis Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Great Migration

The Great Migration

Often leaving from racial discrimination and colonial oppression, thousands of families left Ireland in the 19th century for North America aboard passenger ships. Many early immigrants found a plot of land to call their own, something unimaginable for most Irish families. Those that arrived later were often accommodated as laborers since there was a large demand for cheap labor. This was the fate for many of the families that arrived in North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Whether they became agrarian settlers or industrial workers, the Irish that came to North America were invaluable for rapid development of the infant nations of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the Irish name MacGennis or a variant listed above:accommodated John Guinnessy, who settled in New York in 1849; William Guinnes who settled in Barbados in 1663; Pat and Mary Guinnessy who settled in Quebec with their ten children in 1849..

The MacGennis Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The MacGennis Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.